Mark Herzlich survived this week. He survived multiple rounds of cuts, and in the end, he was named to the New York Giants' 53-man roster. Of course, using the word "survive" for such an endeavor, that when put in perspective, is meaningless, is almost going too far with Herzlich.

Before the linebacker even left college, he had been through more than most people have in an entire life. He was diagnosed with cancer while at Boston College, putting his life in jeopardy, never mind his football future. Like a flat-footed quarterback in the pocket, though, Herzlich sacked cancer, a victory all by itself. The fact that he's now playing football on Sundays in the NFL is nothing short of remarkable.

Herzlich's story is just the latest in the long line of courageous and inspirational storylines in sports. It is these stories that often transcend the ugly things about sports — contract holdouts, off-field misbehavior, etc. — and help make sports something that takes up a large part of our lives.